diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
index 23762a7ef740b261a950e2e454a5a6c0d82d682a..cada4e0e40b48eda0b40a3df56ab7576a4348123 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/iavf/iavf_main.c
@@ -1965,7 +1965,6 @@ static void iavf_watchdog_task(struct work_struct *work)
 		}
 		adapter->aq_required = 0;
 		adapter->current_op = VIRTCHNL_OP_UNKNOWN;
-		mutex_unlock(&adapter->crit_lock);
 		queue_delayed_work(iavf_wq,
 				   &adapter->watchdog_task,
 				   msecs_to_jiffies(10));